1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for exposing image information which is recorded on a photographic original onto a light sensitive medium with exposure means for outputting optical radiation, wherein a beam path is defined through which the light passes to the light sensitive medium, and a capture means for capturing a format of a copy region of the photographic original containing to the image information to be copied.
2. Description of the Related Art
The quality of an optical image is, among others, significantly impacted by the appearance of stray light. This applies to both conventional and digital scanning and copying devices for photographic applications. Stray light may be significantly reduced with complex and expensive imaging optics and a complex optical imaging path.
Typically, however, the imaging optics, the optical path and the format of the light sensitive medium which is to be exposed with the image information, is adjusted to a predetermined format of the photographic original on which the image information is recorded.
Today's devices for photographic applications, however, should be able to process photographic original's having different formats. Such processable formats may, for example, include originals in miniature (35 mm) format (24.times.36 mm.sup.2) as well as APS originals including panorama, high and classic formats. As a result, if an imaging optical path for exposing of image information is adapted to image information recorded in 35 mm format, then stray light is produced when image information recorded in, for example, a panorama format is exposed.
A solution for this problem was proposed in the published European patent application EP 0 590 383 A1. A paper mask was inserted between the imaging objective and the light sensitive photographic paper during the exposure of image information that is recorded on a photographic original in panorama format. The paper mask covers in the imaging path the upper and lower regions of the photographic original of the panorama format which do not contain image information, so that the photographic paper is not exposed (blackened) in these covered regions. The imaging optical path and, in particular, the film holder of the conventional exposure device are adjusted to match the full standard format of the photographic original.
The published European patent application EP 0 516 055 A2 discloses a different solution for the aforedescribed problem. Also in this case, the photographic copy device should be capable of exposing photographic originals in the full standard format as well as in the panorama format. As disclosed in this patent application, the format of the copy aperture in the holder are adjusted to correspond to the format of the photographic original to be exposed (standard or panorama). First, all photographic originals on the film which are in full format, are copied. The film is then repositioned so that in a second copying path all originals on the film are copied that are in the panorama format. For copying the originals in panorama format, a masking cover is inserted in the holder, wherein that masking cover has a copy aperture adapted to the panorama format of the originals.
The aforedescribed two devices require insertion of special mechanical copy masks into the optical imaging path in order to convert the imaging path from originals in full format to originals in panorama format. Such mechanical insertion processes are complex and subject to wear. Moreover, the process can only be adapted to one other format (panorama) through insertion of a conventional mask into the imaging path adapted for the full format.